3
48
History
1.2. Society
The most prosperous people became big landowners, who passed their wealth down
to future generations. A small minority belonged to this superior social group (the
privileged), who were above the majority (the unprivileged).
Society was composed of the following groups:
❚
The privileged minority
consisted of rich and powerful families who lived in
big houses or palaces and did not need to work. The most powerful position
was held by the king in Mesopotamia and the pharaoh in Egypt. The next most
influential group were the priests, followed by the government officials and
then the landowners. The priests were considered the wisest
6
. They performed
religious duties, but also used their knowledge to maintain and increase their
economic and political power.
❚
The unprivileged
, that is the rest of the people, worked for the privileged
minority. The majority of them were farmers, herdsmen
7
and fishermen, and a
small percentage were merchants or craftsmen. All the members of this group
lived modestly in small adobe
8
houses.
❚
Slaves
were servants who were owned by other people and had no rights. The
majority were prisoners of war or their descendants. The poor also became
slaves when they could not pay their debts
9
.
In early civilisations, women also made an important contribution by working the land,
doing domestic tasks and looking after children. However, they did not have as many
rights as the men and had to follow the orders of their father or husband. However,
many women became important historical figures. Egyptian women obtained greater
freedom and some became queens with the same conditions as men.
Three sisters
. Detail of an Egyptian mural (Louvre Museum, Paris)
Because the privileged social groups are smaller
than the unprivileged, human society is usually
represented by a pyramid consisting of different
levels.
6
wise:
having knowledge and
experience
7
herdsmen:
people that look after
groups of domestic animals
8
adobe:
made of dried mud and clay
9
debt:
money that one person owes to
another
Increased agricultural production and trade resulted in prosperity, causing greater
social differences
and the creation of a
hierarchical society
.
